Text or go online to confirm your election registration details

Residents across the Stroud district are being asked to reply to the electoral registration forms that have dropped through their letter boxes over the past week.

Anyone living at an address, who is eligible to vote but not already registered, is being encouraged to sign up, and existing voters are being asked to confirm their details.

Hannah Emery, the council’s principal elections officer, said:

"For the vast majority of homes, the electoral make-up of the household is unlikely to have changed and for them it’s easier than ever to just confirm this either online, by text message or by calling a freephone number – all the details are on the form. If you do need to make a change it’s increasingly more convenient to do it online rather than to complete the paper form and make a trip to the post box."

Just four days after the forms landed on the doormats of the 52,000 households in the district, the council has already received 8,000 returns electronically.

The electoral register needs to be as accurate and up-to-date as possible and it is necessary to update it every year. By law, every household must respond to the letter, even if they have recently registered.

Miss Emery added:

"Anyone that wants to vote must be registered – so they need to reply to this form. It’s particularly important that anyone who has changed address recently looks out for the form and checks that they are registered at their new home. Not being registered can also have an impact on your personal finances. Credit references use the electoral register to perform identity checks. If you’re not registered, you may find it difficult to open a bank account or obtain a loan or mortgage. You could even find it difficult to qualify for something straightforward such as a mobile phone contract or receive credit from utility companies. It’s another good reason to register to vote."

Anyone who has not received their form by now should call the elections helpline on 01453 754886.